The Odd Marines
by AnimationNut
Summary: Their partnership was an odd one. It certainly wasn't meant to be permanent. But that's how it worked out- and Smoker raising all hell whenever someone even mentioned getting him a new partner might have had something to do with it. Series of one-shots, varying in length.
1. Natural Enemy

**I do not own One Piece.**

 **I love Smoker and Tashigi (whether or not I can write them is another matter). So because of this love, we have the beginning of a series of one-shots that will vary in length. The genres of this story are Family, Friendship and Humour. Each one-shot is going to be based off a one-word prompt. If you have any prompts you'd like to share, let me know and I'll see what I can do.**

* * *

 **Prompt:** Jar  
 **Length:** 671 words  
 **Genre:** Friendship, humour

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 **Natural Enemy**

Holding a faded green glass plate stacked with fresh scones, Tashigi reached for her canteen of water before carefully maneuvering her way towards an empty newspaper-laden table. The break room was relatively quiet that afternoon, a few other Marine officers gathered on the sofas.

Tashigi set her snack down and quickly realized that she had forgotten the jam to put on top of her scones. She retraced her steps and went to the fridge, yanking it open and wrinkling her nose at the foul stench that emitted from inside. Ignoring the rotting food, she snagged the jar of mixed berry jam. The glass jar was sticky from previous spilt jam, causing her to grimace.

 _Now I remember why I don't use the staff fridge often._

Taking hold of the lid, Tashigi gave a twist. But instead of the lid popping off like she expected, it stayed firm. Brow furrowing, she tried again, this time with a little more force—but it didn't budge an inch. Deciding that maybe the lid was also sticky from jam, she ran it under warm water. When that didn't work, she tried covering the top with a towel and twisting through the fabric. When that yielded no results, she slammed on the bottom of the jar.

Tashigi hissed in frustration as the jar's lid remained screwed shut. Her nerves were starting to get high-strung, and she was sorely tempted to just smash the infuriating thing against the countertop. But that would result in shattered glass and a sugary-laden mess, and she was so _not_ in the mood for cleaning.

She was sure that the other Marine officers were staring at her, but she ignored them. She would not ask for their help—she didn't need it. She'd faced hardened criminals and nasty pirates. She was a respected Marine. She didn't need help opening some glass container.

Gritting her teeth together, Tashigi braced her back against the edge of the white counter. With all her strength, she pulled on the lid, her hands already throbbing with pain, her arm muscles straining as she pushed them to their full limitations. Her teeth were clenched so hard she would not have been surprised if they cracked.

After a minute of fruitless effort, the remaining shreds of her patience snapped and she cried out furiously, _"Open up before I slice you in half! That's an order, damn it!"_

So engrossed was she in her mission that she didn't notice the door creak open, or the imposing figure who entered. The Marines, who had been watching Tashigi struggle with amusement, hastily looked away. They did not want to be accused of laughing at the swordswoman—Smoker did _not_ appreciate anyone laughing at his partner.

Slim eyebrow raising, Smoker watched Tashigi for a moment, the girl oblivious to his presence. Though his lips twitched, he did not let the smile surface. He strode over and plucked the jar from Tashigi's hand. She shot her head up in surprise, mouth opening to protest his assistance.

 _Pop!_

Easily snapping the lid off, Smoker set the open jar on the counter. He crossed his arms over his chest, unable to stop the smirk from forming as red bloomed over Tashigi's face, hands tightening into fists at her sides. After a minute of mortified glowering, she finally turned her head to her boss.

"T-Thank you, Smoker-san," she choked out. "But I would have gotten it! I just needed another minute."

"Sure you would have," drawled Smoker. "After a few more threats, you would have intimidated the enemy enough for them to surrender."

A few Marine officers snorted, but quickly ducked their heads when Tashigi glared fiercely at them. "That's not funny, Smoker-san."

"Your scones are getting cold."

Huffing under her breath, Tashigi moodily grabbed the accursed jam jar and watched her boss grab an apple from the fruit bowl before departing from the break room without another word. Shoulders slumping, she shuffled over to her table.

"Damn. He's never going to let me forget this one…"


	2. Best Policy

**I do not own One Piece.**

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 **Prompt:** Honest  
 **Length:** 1001 words  
 **Genre:** Friendship

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 **Best Policy**

If there was one thing Smoker detested above all else, it was dishonesty. He despised being lied to and he despised the people who did the lying even more. As far as he was concerned it offered no purpose, other to mar a person's character and offend the recipient of the falsehoods. A man's word was absolute and he disgusted anyone who used it to deceive or trick. From small fibs to a spider's web of lies, he hated them all. He valued honesty above all else—well, not quite as much as he valued justice, but it came close.

Any rookie officer under his command who dared lie to his face was promptly dismissed and transferred to another squadron. Smoker had a knack for detecting whether he was being told the truth. There were no second chances for anyone trying to pull the wool over his eyes.

Tashigi learned very quickly what a blunt man her superior was. He didn't sugar-coat anything. If a grunt was slacking off or not doing a good enough job, he was told straight to his face, more often than not in front of a crowd.

"You have something you want to say?"

The question had come one day after training. Smoker had just given a grunt a dose of hard honesty after he wasn't performing to standards. Tashigi stared at him in surprise for a moment. "Pardon?"

Smoker glanced at his newest partner, a hint of impatience about him. White smoke curled above their heads as they walked down the corridors of the base. "I know you heard me. You're blind, not deaf."

At that time, Tashigi had only been sixteen, still fresh from the Academy. Most rookies would hastily cover up their clear displeasure, pretending there was nothing wrong. Tashigi stared at him, a frown on her lips.

"I think you're too harsh, Captain Smoker."

No greenhorn had ever displayed such open honesty with him before, let alone with little hesitation. Instead of being offended, he was intrigued. "You want to elaborate on that?"

"I think you could have spoken a little nicer to Osako-san, or at least talked to him in private. I know his course times are the slowest out of all of us, but that doesn't mean you should be so harsh with him."

Smoker crossed his arms over his broad chest. "What would you have done, then? Let him continue with such dismal performance?"

Tashigi bit her lip. "Well, no. But I might have suggested that he spend some of his free time practicing, that he could benefit from it."

Smoker snorted. "That doesn't tell him anything. It's merely implying what he _could_ be doing. Not what he _should_ be doing. Beating around the bush never helped anyone. If he wants to stay in my squad, he needs to be better. It's a hard, dangerous world out there. He won't survive if he continues as he is. And if Osako can't take a little criticism in front of his peers, there's no hope for him."

Tashigi didn't quite believe him, especially when Osako transferred to office work the following week. She didn't have much time to dwell on it, for she soon found herself the target of his much-valued honesty.

It happened during sparring practice, when she hesitated in landing a critical blow to her opponent.

" _Stop!"_ thundered Smoker. He stormed over and focussed on his now-nervous partner. "What the hell was that?"

"I…I…" Tashigi floundered, trying to find words to phrase her reasoning that wouldn't sound so pathetic. But she couldn't find them and she admitted, "I didn't want to hurt him."

For a brief moment, Smoker was impressed that she had not offered some flimsy excuse. But it was overcome by ire. "You think this is a game?"

"No!" she said quickly. "I just—"

"You think the pirates are going to let you, a woman, get off easy? You think this world is going to hesitate to 'hurt you'?"

His words were mocking and Tashigi felt her face flush red. "There's a difference between fighting with your allies and fighting with the enemy," she snapped.

There was a collective intake of breath from the observing grunts, who could not believe she had spoken so bluntly with her superior. Smoker stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "If you can't land the killing blow in training, you'll never land it when it matters," he said at last. "You'll be a weak link in the chain and you'll drag us down. Either get your crap together or you'll never get anywhere. Go."

Taking her dismissal, Tashigi muttered, "Hai," before departing. Her shoulders were hunched in a combination of humiliation and anger, but Smoker noticed the speculative look on her face as she passed by.

In the next sparring match, Tashigi fought ruthlessly and she took ever chance to land a strike. She ended up winning. As she went to retrieve her towel, panting from exertion, a heavy hand landed on her shoulder. She looked to see Smoker staring down at her in approval. "Good work."

A flare of pride ignited within her. "Thank you, Captain Smoker."

She had taken his honest criticism seriously. She did not brood or sulk. She considered what he had to say and improved herself in the process. That self-growth would not have happened if he had made a mere suggestion that she not hesitate so much. She would not understand the weight of her mistake if he side-stepped around the truth.

Tashigi was one of the few who dared to be brutally honest with Smoker and one of the few who could take his own honesty with a strong backbone. It was one of the many reasons he kept her by his side.

"Captain Smoker, do you think you could smile more?" she said one afternoon as they were doing a patrol through town. "You're scaring the children."

…though her honesty was appreciated, she could sometimes stand to remember her place.


	3. The Furry Visitor

**I do not own One Piece.**

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 **Prompt:** Furry  
 **Length:** 1195  
 **Genre:** Friendship, humour

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 **A Furry Visitor**

"Shoo! Go away!"

Her hisses, which were accompanied by wild waving of her arms, did nothing to startle the stray animal off. The small grey kitten looked up at her with wide yellow eyes, tail wagging slightly. Tashigi stared down at it in dismay. She could see her Marine base settled on the slope in the distance, the large structure looming over the village nestled below. The kitten had been following her for two hours and was showing no signs of leaving.

"I can't bring you with me," she insisted. "We're not allowed to have pets."

" _Meow."_

The tiny animal looked at her in what Tashigi swore was a pleading manner. Letting out a resigned sigh, Tashigi bent down and gathered the kitten in her arms, heart melting when it immediately snuggled close.

"Maybe just for one night," she muttered.

She knew immediately this was a bad idea, but the idea of leaving the poor defenseless creature alone greatly unsettled her. When she reached the base she tucked the kitten underneath her sweater and wrapped her arms over the awkward bulge. She walked briskly down the corridors, hoping she could get to her bunk unnoticed.

"Tashigi."

Stilling at the sound of her boss' voice, she immediately snapped into a straight-backed stance. "Captain Smoker," she returned. She turned her body halfway, so that her head was facing Smoker and her stomach was out of his line of sight.

"How was the patrol?"

"Fine," she reported. "There were no incidents."

Smoker regarded her, brow arching at the odd way she carried herself. "Is your neck the only part of your body capable of moving?" he asked.

Tashigi inwardly cursed. Leave it to her to have a superior who didn't miss a beat. "No, sir."

" _Meow."_

Tashigi hastily launched into a fake coughing fit the second she heard the kitten's impatient noise, managing to drown out the rest. "I'm going to retire to my bunk now," she rasped, raising a hand in a salute. "Have a nice evening."

Without blinking, Smoker inclined his chin and Tashigi wasted no time in rushing down the corridor. Watching her go, the man heaved out a sigh and swivelled on his heel, beginning the trek for the kitchens. He was going to need a drink before he found out what his troublesome partner was up to.

…

Having discovered that the kitten was a male, Tashigi could not help but give him a name. "You're going to have to be very quiet, Smokey," she whispered. The name had left her lips before she really thought about it. The kitten's grey fur reminded her of Smoker's cigars, and the moniker stuck.

After exploring her quarters, the kitten settled on the hardwood floor and let out a particularly loud _meow._ "I said you're going to have to be quiet," said Tashigi, reaching out to scratch Smokey behind the ears. She noticed how thin he looked, and he was probably starving. Biting down on her bottom lip, Tashigi stood.

"I'll go get you some food. But you can't make a sound!"

She made a quick trip to the dining hall to gather some dinner. Marines were seated at the long benches, chatting and eating from the massive piles of food stacked on their trays. Tashigi grabbed a single plate and filled it with rice balls and tempura. She was back in her room five minutes later, and gawked at what had occurred in her brief absence.

"You naughty cat!" she scolded, staring around at the ripped up papers, scratched desk and torn pillows in horror. In the small amount of time Smokey had caused a whirlwind of destruction, the paper bits and feathers covering her floor like snow and deep gouges on the sides of her oak desk.

Smelling the food, Smokey mewed eagerly and scampered over, pawing at Tashigi's leg. Heaving a weary sigh, Tashigi set the plate down and let the kitten dig in. "I'm going to need a broom," she said wearily.

A sharp knock sounded on her door, causing her to jump and squeak. "Open the door," a familiar, deep voice drawled.

Tashigi flinched. "Can you come back later, Captain Smoker?"

" _Tashigi."_

With a soft groan she complied, cranking the brass knob and opening the door wide. Smoker crossed his arms over his chest, regarding the seventeen-year-old for a moment before looking past her shoulder. "What is _that_?"

"A cat."

"Don't get flippant with me. You know what I meant."

"He followed me when I was doing patrol. I couldn't just leave him so I brought him here for a little bit of rest and food. I was going to find a home for him tomorrow."

"Have you forgotten the rule about no pets allowed on base?" asked Smoker dryly.

Tashigi's pale cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and guilt. "No sir. I'm aware of the rule."

Smoker studied the small creature, who had just finished half of the food Tashigi had brought him. He went up to the girl and wound around her legs, mewing gratefully. "One hundred laps," he said at last. "You start tomorrow at dawn."

Initially surprised, Tashigi dissolved into relief at what she considered to be a mild punishment. "Yes, Captain Smoker. Thank you, sir. I won't do it again."

"We'll see," said Smoker dubiously. His partner was a suck for cute creatures, and he wouldn't be surprised if he stumbled upon her harbouring a stray puppy in a month's time. "He can stay with you for the night." When the cat came to nuzzle against his ankle, he idly bent down to rub his ears. "We'll find him a home tomorrow, after you finish your laps."

"Hai." Her bright smile at Smoker's compassion and tolerance faded slightly as she considered something. "How did you know he was here?"

"I didn't." Straightening, he glanced at her with a slight smirk. "I just knew you were up to something."

Perplexed, Tashigi said, "But you didn't ask."

Amusement swelled within Smoker at this observance. She knew as well as he did that if he had asked her outright if she was doing something she wasn't supposed to, she would have told him the truth in a heartbeat. "I figured I would probably need a drink to deal with whatever dumbass stunt you were up to this time."

"Sorry, sir…"

"Ah. Next time, bring the stray to someone in town. They can handle the little furball."

"Yes sir."

"What's his name?"

The way she jolted caught him by surprise, his eyebrows flying to his hairline. She hadn't been expecting him to ask. "What?" she squeaked.

"His name," repeated Smoker, bemused. "I know you've named him by now. What is it?"

The red on her cheeks deepened. "I'd rather not say, sir."

Leaning against the doorframe, Smoker spared a glance for the prowling kitten before settling his gaze back on his clearly embarrassed partner. He did not look away and she held his stare for a moment before reluctantly answering.

"Smokey," she muttered, the red blossoming across her entire face. "I named him Smokey."

There was a beat of silence before Smoker's booming laugh could be heard clear across the base.


	4. What Goes Bump In the Night

**I do not own One Piece.**

 **Have a safe and spooktacular Halloween!**

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 **Prompt:** Haunted  
 **Length:** 1565  
 **Genre:** Friendship, family

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 **What Goes Bump In the Night**

There was a rumour circulating around the lower-ranked grunts of the Marines stationed at the Hollingthorn base. On the edge of the sprawling property was a large rectangular warehouse, in which various supplies and spare weapons were kept. The Marines who were of a higher class hardly ever ventured down the beaten dirt path, down a slope and through a grove of trees, to the warehouse. They always sent their subordinates to retrieve whatever was needed.

One by one, the grunts, from the Chore Boys to the Petty Officers, started noticing odd happenings in the warehouse. It started off small, such as boxes of food being spilt and crushed on the cement floor and items not being in their proper place. But then it gradually escalated, with supplies flying off of the shelves with no discernable cause and screeching sounds that were definitely not human. They first believed it was a prank, but no one would admit responsibility.

After a month, a few Chief Petty Officers grew irritated with this charade and checked the security cameras. But when they searched through the footage, they only saw various Marines moving in and out, retrieving what they needed, cleaning up the mess left behind and leaving. They would jump if they heard a strange noise and would quickly leave. There was no evidence of someone deliberately trying to fool their colleagues.

Then they saw it—a white blur moving about, creating the chaos that had been baffling them for weeks. As soon as it appeared it was gone, and the Chief Petty Officers had seen enough. They wasted no time in telling those below them of the phantom in the warehouse and the stories began to spread like wildfire.

On a dark Friday night, Tashigi sat in a red plush armchair, studiously reviewing the notes she had taken that day concerning her training. Smoker's office was empty for a moment, the man having gone to retrieve a cup of coffee from the break room.

She was the only Petty Officer who was allowed to spend time in her superior's office without him present and stay in his space when he was working. He only ever sent her away when someone needed to speak with him in private, but he always summoned her back in when he was finished. She had been doing this since her first days as a Marine and thought it was normal practice. Her peers, on the other hand, were utterly baffled. No one could be in the study of a Captain or higher-ranked Marine without them present. Smoker hadn't been an exception until the raven-haired girl was assigned to him. The grunts were wise not to comment on this in the man's presence, and Tashigi was a bit too oblivious to notice the difference in treatment.

The wooden door swung open and Tashigi immediately snapped into a straight-backed posture. Smoker strode inside, his face creased with ire. "Some moron didn't restock the coffee beans. Go get some for me, will you?"

Tashigi felt her chest tighten with nervousness. The coffee beans were kept in the warehouse—the haunted warehouse. She normally didn't believe in such myths, but the fact that so many of her peers had encountered strange occurrences caused her some doubt.

Knowing that she could not defy an order, she said, "Hai, Captain Smoker."

Before she went outside, she paused by her room to get her sword. She held it tightly between her hands as she walked down the path, goosebumps prickling across her flesh. The branches creaked in the wind, the shadows twisting and stretching.

 _There's no such thing as ghosts, there's no such thing as ghosts,_ she chanted silently as she reached the steel doors of the warehouse.

She punched her code into the security panel and the doors automatically unlocked. She flicked the switch and the overhead lights flared to life. Eased by the brightness that chased away the darkness, Tashigi walked between the towering metal shelves towards where she knew the coffee beans were kept. Picking up an empty bucket that rested beside the barrel, Tashigi filled it to the brim with the small brown beans.

" _Rrrreeaaahhhh!"_

The soup cans stacked above her head exploded off the shelf, clattering to the floor with ugly clanging noises. Tashigi let out a startled shout and hastily backed up, snapping her gaze upwards. A hulking white creature loomed over her, yellow eyes glinting. She blinked and it vanished, and that was enough to send her flying out of the warehouse with a scream of panic.

…

Smoker stared at his partner, who was terror-faced and trembling, babbling nonsense about a ghost she had seen in the warehouse. He didn't know what he did in life to deserve a hopeless, foolish subordinate, because as far as he knew none of his colleagues had to deal with crap like this.

Heaving out a breath, he rose from his leather chair, a few impatient puffs of his two cigars causing white smoke to swirl between him and Tashigi. He reached out and grabbed the bucket out of her death grip. This forceful action was enough to halt her frantic speaking.

"At least you brought these with you," he said flatly, setting the container onto his desk. "I'm amazed you didn't let the ghost steal it."

Pale cheeks gaining colour as she blushed, Tashigi insisted, "I _did_ see a ghost, Captain Smoker! Many of us have seen it!"

"There's no such thing as phantoms, Tashigi," said Smoker in annoyance. "You need to stop being so gullible. Someone probably started a story to rile grunts up and you're falling for it."

"It has yellow eyes! It tried to kill me with soup cans!"

"Too bad it missed." When Tashigi's face fell, Smoker rolled his eyes. "There's a logical explanation, Tashigi. There's a logical explanation for everything. If you let your fear control you, you're setting yourself up for disaster."

Biting down on her bottom lip, she suddenly felt embarrassed and ashamed of her behaviour. What kind of Marine would she be if she fled at the slightest thing that frightened her? "Hai. I apologize for my conduct, Captain Smoker."

"Ah." Smoker swept out from around his desk and towards the door. "Let's find this 'ghost' of yours."

Tashigi quickly fell into step beside him as they exited the office. They made the trek to the warehouse and the girl took a calming breath whenever her heart started to beat a little faster in fear. Smoker entered his code and they stepped inside the building, which was still brightly lit since Tashigi had rushed out without turning off the lights.

They walked slowly down the aisles, picking their way over fallen provisions. A bag of rice had been ripped open and Smoker knelt down to inspect it. He studied the jagged tear, brow furrowed slightly. "Well, there's definitely something in here. Something a lot more tangible than a ghost."

" _Rrrreeaaahhhh!"_

The snarling hiss sounded from two aisles away, the same noise that had occurred when the soup cans came flying off of the shelf. Tashigi cried, "That's it!" and rushed towards it. When she reached the aisle, she could see items careening to the floor as something ran down the length of the shelves. Removing her sword, she slammed the hilt against the metal structure, causing it to vibrate violently.

With a shriek the white, yellow-eyed creature fell to the ground. It lay dazed as Smoker caught up to his partner. While it was stunned, the man sauntered over and grabbed it by the scruff of its neck. Without a word, he extended it an arm's length away and started for the door. Tashigi scampered after him, puzzled and apprehensive.

They entered the dark night and Smoker dropped the creature ungracefully to the ground. "Get the hose."

Startled for a moment, the raven-haired girl obeyed. She unfurled the green hose attached to the water tank adjoining to the warehouse. She cranked the tap and water gushed out of the nozzle. She aimed it at the thing they had caught and let out a soft gasp as the white started to bleed to the grass in clumps.

The cold liquid surprising the animal to its senses, it let out a snarl of displeasure before scampering off into the trees, a little bit of flour still sticking to its fur. Crossing his arms over his chest, Smoker sent a glance at Tashigi, who stared dumbly after the wildlife, the hose hanging limply from her hands.

"First time I've ever seen a ghost take the shape of a raccoon."

"…I don't think I've ever felt so embarrassed."

"You'll probably outdo yourself eventually." Jerking his chin towards the warehouse, Smoker ordered, "Clean up the mess. You've got two hours. And keep the door closed. We don't need any more possessed animals getting in."

Cringing slightly, Tashigi turned off the water before shuffling inside the building to complete her task. They both knew he would not let her forget this for a while, and she resigned herself to bearing his quips. She supposed she deserved it for acting foolishly. She knew there was no such thing as ghosts.

Even though she knew better now, she was still relieved and grateful when she stepped out of the warehouse two hours later to find Smoker waiting to escort her through the pitch-black night.


	5. Soap In Your Eye

**I do not own One Piece.**

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 **Prompt:** Sponge  
 **Length:** 804  
 **Genre:** Friendship, humour

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 **Soap In Your Eye**

Her white tank top sticking to her torso with sweat, Tashigi wiped her brow with the back of her hand. Her glasses were balanced on the top of her head, relocated after she grew frustrated of continuously pushing them up the ridge of her nose when they refused to stay in place because of her damp skin.

"I thought my chore days were over," she lamented, bending down briefly to dunk her yellow sponge into the metal bucket of warm water.

It wasn't unusual for Petty Officers to take up odd jobs around the base, but those tasks were reserved for the Chore Boys. But with the violent storm they had the previous night, it was an all-hands on deck for the lower ranked Marines to clean up the area. Thick tree branches were being dragged off of paths, split trees were being chopped down and removed, and debris was being swept and trashed. Marines were swarming around the base in a coordinated fashion, armed with supplies to do their work.

The pounding rain and howling wind resulted in patches of mud covering the wall-to-ceiling windows of the base. Tashigi got the assignment of washing the windows on the south side, which she supposed was not the worst job she could've been handed. After the storm had passed the sun emerged, bringing with it a humid heat.

The scent of the lavender dish soap clung to her skin as she moved the sponge across the glass, streaks of bubbles and water making trails. She moved her arm in a back-and-forth rhythm, pursing her lips in concentration as she scrubbed away at hunks of mud.

After a few minutes of work, the sound of heavy footsteps coming in her direction caused her to pause. Tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, she squinted at the blurry figure who approached her. Unable to make out the person, she asked hesitantly, "Yes?"

"Put your glasses on, Tashigi."

The girl hastily reached up and slipped on her red-framed glasses. "Captain Smoker."

"How long have you been doing this job?" he asked bluntly.

Tashigi blinked, confused. "Well…if I count my volunteer hours at the Academy—"

"I meant the windows."

"Oh." Glancing down at her watch, and still not entirely sure what her boss was getting at, Tashigi replied, "About two hours, sir."

"How long have you been washing the windows _without_ your glasses?"

Confusion increasing, Tashigi stared at the glass panes she was working on. Realization replaced her puzzlement as she discovered uneven streaks of filth and flecks of mud that hadn't been properly scrubbed away. Her impaired vision had caused her to miss the flaws as she cleaned. Craning her neck, she took a quick look at the other windows she finished, heart sinking when she noticed they too were not up to standards.

"One hour and fifty minutes," she muttered.

"There's no room for wasted time in the Marines," scolded Smoker. "Start over. I want every inch of glass to sparkle and be blemish free. Keep your glasses on."

Tashigi groaned quietly at the idea of having to do everything all over again. "I don't suppose you would be gracious enough to assist me?"

"I didn't rise to the ranks of Captain just to continue to do menial and mindless chores like this," returned Smoker. He thought for a moment, regarding his charge, and added, "Though apparently it's not mindless enough for you to be able to do it."

Cheeks flushing, Tashigi acted before she thought, a trait Smoker was trying to eliminate from her personality. The soapy, soaking, mud-encrusted sponge flew from her hand and landed directly in Smoker's face, slowly sliding down before plopping into the grass.

For a brief instance there was silence. Tashigi pressed her pruned hands against her mouth, torn between laughing out loud and whimpering in terror. Smoker stood still, staring at her weapon of choice, eye twitching. No subordinate of his had ever dared to be so bold, and he wasn't surprised in the slightest that Tashigi was the first.

"I ought to reassign you to collecting the deceased sea life that washed up on shore during the storm, you insolent whelp," he growled, rubbing a few flecks of mud from his cheek.

"I'm sorry," she managed to squeak, trying desperately not to laugh as his priceless expression replayed through her mind.

"Like hell you are," Smoker returned. "You've got two hours to finish and I want these windows spick and span. You better rest well, because you have a personal training session with me tomorrow at five."

"Hai, sir."

Smoker stalked off, grumbling under his breath. Tashigi caught sight of him trying to scrub something from his eye, brow creased with irritation, and she dissolved into helpless laughter when he was out of her vicinity.


	6. Of Swords and Jittes

**I do not own One Piece.**

 **I'll probably do some moments during Marineford and Punk Hazard later on, if I come across a word that sparks inspiration.**

* * *

 **Prompt:** Sparring  
 **Length:** 1446  
 **Genre:** Friendship

* * *

 **Of Swords and Jittes**

Learning combat was the crux of the Academy's training, almost everything else in the program built around boot camps, harsh workout regimes and varying martial arts. Tashigi had fought against many Marines in hand-to-hand combat and since she specialized in sword fighting, she was grouped with her fellow swordsman to hone her skills. Multiple times a week they would pair off not only with each other but with Marines who mastered in other forms of weaponry and spar.

Tashigi was pretty confident in her fighting abilities as she graduated amongst the top of her class. It was no easy feat making it through the Academy and she was sure she would be able to go toe-to-toe with any adversary that stumbled in her path.

A foolish, naïve thought of a fresh recruit, which she realized rather quickly after she was assigned to be Smoker's partner.

Sweat causing her grey sweat pants and pale green T-shirt to stick her body, Tashigi tried to control her breathing as she ducked and weaved. She swung her sword to defend against Smoker's jitte, a metal clanging reverberating throughout the small, concrete-walled training room. She took a few steps back to create space and then lunged, aiming her sword for Smoker's stomach. She stumbled forwards when his torso turned to smoke, allowing the man to take advantage of her uneven footing and flip her to the ground.

Tashigi let out a yelp when the back of her head collided with the floor, stars appearing in her vision for a brief moment. The seventeen-year-old wearily sat up and grabbed her katana, which had clattered by her side.

"Again," she said determinedly, getting to her feet.

Smoker, who had barely broken a sweat compared to Tashigi, scoffed. "Why do you bother? The outcome will be the same."

Tashigi gripped the hilt of her sword. "I'll defeat you this time."

He regarded her for a moment. Her eyes glinted with steely resolve, despite her exhaustion and numerous failures. Her heart and spirit were in the right place, but she was missing the vital lesson. As it was clear she would not learn it tonight, Smoker shook his head.

"That's enough, Tashigi."

Attaching his jitte to his hip, Smoker started for the door. Tashigi stood in place, hands trembling with agitation and disappointment. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she asked, "May we spar again tomorrow, Captain Smoker?"

He paused in the doorframe, glancing over his shoulder. "If you manage to figure out what you're doing wrong," he returned coolly before departing fully.

With a harsh breath, Tashigi lowered to the ground, brow furrowing. "Why can't I land a strike?" she muttered aloud, resting her chin in her hands. In the sparring sessions she had with the members of their squadron, she came out victorious every time. When she went up against drunken street thugs and looting pirates, she beat them with little effort. So why was she having so much trouble going up against Smoker?

"A jitte and a sword aren't so different," she mused with a frown.

 _No, but you've only ever gone up against a jitte when a regular Marine was using it. You've never fought against someone with Devil Fruit powers._

Tashigi stared at her sword, expression thoughtful. Not much was known about Devil Fruits or their abilities, and the subject material was only touched upon at the Academy. She never really needed to figure out how to fight an opponent with supernatural abilities.

 _Looks like you're going to have to learn. Captain Smoker isn't the only one with powers._

"What else can I do?" she groaned. "I've done everything by the book."

The words she had just uttered reached her ears and her eyes widened as she came to a realization. She had studied combat techniques for years. She knew all the regulations when it came to Marine combat, just like the Academy had taught her.

But the Academy never taught her how to deal with an opponent with Devil Fruit abilities. Regular fighting strategies wouldn't work. It was time to start thinking outside of the box.

…

When Smoker arrived in the training room early the next morning, he was not surprised to see Tashigi already waiting for him. Crossing his arms over his chest, he asked, "Before I waste my time, have you figured out your mistake?"

Tashigi nodded. "I have."

"Hmm. I guess we'll see."

The pair unsheathed their respective weapons and squared off. After an intense stare-down, they started to spar, sword and jitte slamming against one another. For a while Tashigi merely defended, waiting for her first opportunity. She took the chance when Smoker executed an overhead strike, raising her sword to cut off the attack and dropping down to the floor. She lifted one foot to kick him in the stomach, causing him to hunch over slightly.

She tried to push him off balance further by pushing the jitte with her sword towards the side, but Smoker suddenly turned into smoke. Tashigi immediately rolled to the side and got to her feet, spinning on her heel as he reformed a distance away. Smoker transformed his arm into smoke and his hand shot towards her. She avoided the punch and charged forwards, aiming her sword at his stomach. At the last second she changed direction so it would strike his cheek.

The man caught the movement in the nick of time and the tip of the blade passed through his smoky cheek. Tashigi grimaced as Smoker caught her in a choke hold, muscular arms tightening around her neck. He hooked his jitte under the hilt of her katana and twisted, forcing her to drop it.

Taking a quick breath, Tashigi reared her head backwards, slamming it against Smoker's chin. He swore and his grip loosened slightly, giving her enough space to drop down and stick out her foot, dragging her sword towards her. She flipped it into her hand and curved the hilt behind Smoker's ankle, using her body weight to force them both to the ground.

Smoker evaporated into smoke and drifted out from behind her. Tashigi caught herself before she hit the floor completely and stood. She ducked to avoid the blow from the jitte and spun around so that he was in front of her. She jumped onto his back, pressing her blade against his neck. As he started to transform, she suddenly leapt forwards, seizing hold of the jitte. She swung her body to the floor, using the momentum to twist the jitte out of his hands. Spinning on her heel she lunged forwards, sticking the tip into the smoke.

Immediately Smoker regained his solid form, dropping to his knees with a grunt. His energy rapidly depleted and it took a great effort for him to lift his head. Tashigi knelt before him, the Seastone lodged in the tip of his jitte pressed against his neck. She was breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her flushed face and a triumphant glint in her eyes. She lowered the jitte so it was no longer in contact with Smoker's flesh and sunk to the ground.

"Was that better?" she asked breathlessly, expression hopeful.

Smoker rocked back on his heels, idly rubbing the bruise developing on his chin. A smirk curled across his features and he said, "Much better. For a moment, I thought you were just screwing around, doing the exact same routine as before."

"Well, I couldn't make it obvious that I was planning to take your weapon," reasoned Tashigi. "I had to create an opportunity."

"You realize the Academy is strongly against headbutting your enemy," drawled Smoker.

Tashigi smiled sheepishly, gingerly prodding the bump that was on the back of her head. "Yes. But you can't do everything by the book—not even in the Marines. Sometimes you have to get creative, even a little impulsive."

Satisfied that she had gotten the point and fixed her mistakes, Smoker stood, strapping his jitte to his back. "Now it's up to you to find the balance."

"Hai." Tashigi fell into step beside Smoker as they exited the training room. "Do you think we could spar some more later?" she added hesitantly.

"Ah. There's another fighting method you're going to need to adjust to."

"What would that be, Captain Smoker?"

Smoker lazily reached out plucked Tashigi's glasses from her face, causing her to stumble to a halt as the world morphed into a blurred mess. She let out a yelp and instinctively held out her arms to see if she would bump into anything.

"That's unfair!"

"So's life. Better hone those ears, because the next time we spar you're doing it without the glasses."


	7. Stop, Thief!

**I do not own One Piece.**

* * *

 **Prompt:** Cashbox  
 **Length:** 1255  
 **Genre:** Friendship

* * *

 **Stop, Thief!**

As she studied her snack options, Tashigi hummed softly under her breath. She eventually settled on a bitter chocolate bar filled with a sweet fruit filling. She went up to the shop's front counter and slid the proper amount of coins across the wooden surface.

"Thank you!" she said before departing. She unwrapped the chocolate and took a bite as she stepped back outside, blinking rapidly to readjust her vision to the bright sunlight.

" _Stop! Thief! Somebody help!"_

Her ears immediately picked up on the desperate cry for help, though it came from quite a distance away. She hastily tossed her chocolate into the nearest bin and started running towards the noise. She slipped down a couple of alleyways as a shortcut and emerged a block away from where the cries had come from.

"He went that way!" a bystander shouted, pointing down the street. "He stole money from the glassblower storekeeper!"

Tashigi whipped her head around, spotting a figure shoving people out of his way as he barrelled down the concrete. She took up pursuit, pumping her legs and taking long strides to make up the distance the criminal had gained on her.

"Halt!" she shouted. "In the name of the Marines, I order you to stand down!"

He shot a quick look over his shoulder to see a thin woman bearing down on him. He slipped a hand inside his trench coat and removed a pistol. Tashigi dove through the entryway of a shoe shop just as he pressed the trigger, the bullet lodging into an overhanging sign.

Heart pounding in her chest, Tashigi took a sharp breath before running through the shop. She wound her way past displays of leather loafers and sandals and stumbled through the back door, the bell clanging loudly before being cut off as she let the door slam shut behind her.

She was in another alleyway, trash bins, flattened boxes and pieces of litter strewn about the grimy stone. There were only shops along this street and the next one, as they were close to the harbour and this was the hot spot for visitors and crews of ships docking in the port. If she were the thief, she would go to where there was an immediate means of escape, now that he was being tailed by a Marine.

Tashigi raced down the alley and turned a corner, where she returned to the main path. She ran towards the harbour, where the glittering blue ocean opened up before her. Her eyes darted about the wooden docks, but besides crew members lugging crates of goods towards town, she didn't see her culprit.

"Excuse me," she called to the nearest sailor. "Have you seen a man come through her recently? He's thin, with a black mustache and a shaved head. Has a silver ring in his nose, carrying a metal box?"

"That'd be him, won't it?" asked the sailor in bemusement, pointing over her shoulder.

Tashigi turned to discover the man hurrying through the entrance of the docks, looking wildly around. "Thank you!" she said hastily and removed her katana from its holder. She blended into the crowd, keeping as inconspicuous as possible, eyes never leaving her target. When he turned his body away from her she pounced, swinging her katana and cutting the arm that was holding the cashbox.

He howled in pain, dropping to the ground as blood seeped from his wound. Tashigi pinned him to the ground on his side, so she could reach into the fold of his jacket and remove the pistol. "I'll take that," she said coldly. "You are under arrest."

She went to unclip the set of shackles hanging from her belt. The crook managed to muster the strength to grab the cashbox with his injured hand and rear it back to strike Tashigi. The girl noticed and rolled off at the last second, the metal missing her head by inches. It clattered to the wood with an ugly sound and the crook jumped to his feet, staggering slightly.

He charged towards the water, cradling his bleeding arm against his chest. There was a child skipping on the docks, a few feet ahead of her mother. The crook, with no pistol and in need to get the Marine off of his back, slammed into the little girl, sending her stumbling the few feet to the edge of the dock and hurtling into the water.

The mother let out a horrified scream and Tashigi, who was feet away from snagging the culprit once and for all, twisted on her heel and dove over the edge. The impact caused her glasses to slide up her head, where they got caught in the strands of her hair. Vision blurred and eyes stinging from the sea salt, Tashigi managed to make out the pink-and-yellow figure floating a little bit below her.

Tashigi swam to the girl and wrapped an arm around her. She kicked her way to the surface, hoisting the girl above the water first and she started coughing and gagging, gasping for air. Tashigi gripped the boardwalk and handed the child to her sobbing mother. A pair of strong hands wrapped around her arm and hauled her to solid ground.

"Thank you," she said, fumbling for her glasses. She slipped them over her eyes, scowling slightly at the droplets that obscured her vision. She scrubbed them away and jolted when she realized the person who had helped her was Smoker. "Captain Smoker!"

"Quite the patrol for you tonight."

"You could say that," the eighteen-year-old said, getting to her feet and offering a salute. She shifted a quick look to the child, who was being tightly embraced by her mother. Relief overcame her when it was obvious the girl was fine. "But I let the thief get away."

"Maybe. But I caught him." Smoker stood to the side and Tashigi noticed the man sprawled on the ground, unconscious. "Good control with your sword, by the way."

"Thanks," said Tashigi with a smile. "The bleeding stopped, then?"

"Ah. He'll live. Though the scumbag might wish otherwise once we hand him in for sentencing." Smoker glanced over at his partner, who was soaked through, hair and clothes plastered to her body. The pistol hung loosely at her hip. "Since when do you carry a pistol?"

"I don't. It's his."

"You activated the safety, right?"

"Yes, sir," she said immediately, knowing he would have her head if the answer was otherwise.

"All right. Let's go."

Tashigi helped him left the unconscious crook to his feet, where they started to drag him into town. "What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

"Needed chocolate and the storeroom only had the crap kind."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing you had your sweet tooth when you did. Or else he would have gotten away with the storeowner's money."

"The reason he pushed that child into the water is because he knew you would catch him, and instead of facing the consequences of his actions like a man he acted like a coward." Smoker turned to regard Tashigi and she saw the approval in his eyes. "You made the right choice and you didn't even have to think about it. You did good."

"Thank you, sir!" said Tashigi with a wide grin. "Um, I actually tried to pick up a chocolate snack earlier, but I had to get rid of it when I heard the shout for help. Can we stop by a shop so I can get another one?"


End file.
